Police: Officer fatally shot by Gorkha protesters in India

KOLKATA, India (AP) – Police say one police officer was killed and another four were injured when they were fired at by members of a Gorkha organization demanding a new state be carved in the region of West Bengal state where they live.

A police officer said the group of officers was attacked in Patlibas area Thursday night on the outskirts of Darjeeling, where they had gone following intelligence that the Gurung faction of the Gorkha Peoples’ Freedom Front was stockpiling weapons in a hideout.

Police were looking for the attackers, the officer said Friday on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to reporters.
The region is largely inhabited by Gorkhas of Nepalese origin. The front recently held a weeks-long strike in support of its demand for a Gorkhaland state.